


Glory And Gore

by overjoyed (heavydiirtysoul)



Series: 30 Days of Dyle [3]
Category: Bastille (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, Violence, dyle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 12:24:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11944128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavydiirtysoul/pseuds/overjoyed
Summary: "I think my nose is broken.""Looks like it."in which Dan accidentally gets in a fight, and Kyle maybe has a slight helper's syndrome.





	Glory And Gore

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3:  
> Patching Each Other Up
> 
> Day 4:  
> Hospital Visits

The beat was deafening, and he thought that if he just looked hard enough, he could probably see an idea of the smallest waves rippling through the already stale beer in his red cup.

American college wasn't exactly like he had imagined it to be, with a lot less drugs and booze and parties than advertised, but it wasn't like that side didn't exist - tonight proved to be an insight he had rather enjoyed not having. 

Frat parties weren't really his cup of tea, but he had made a pact with himself to at least go to _one_ while he was here; a year was shorter than you'd expect and if he was lucky enough to get a chance at studying abroad, he should at least make a point to get a handful of everything offered. And yes, that included frat parties, he had reminded himself as he was walking towards the towering entrance to a fraternity house bigger than any he'd ever seen before.

It was as bad as you'd expect it to be for someone with practically no friends who only got invited out of pity.

He hadn't spoken to anyone so far, just grabbed a red cup and made it his single goal to get shitfaced and maybe find someone to hook up with - because that's what you did at parties like this, right? 

So far, he was neither drunk nor getting laid, so he wasn't in the best of moods, and it probably showed.

"Hey, _asshole_!"

There we go.

"Hey, I'm talking to you. Tall guy. Nerd. Cute glasses! Your mama bought 'em for ya?"

Ignoring the guy would've probably been best, but he was all up in his face, and hiding behind nothing but a cup and your own arms that maybe looked a little too long for your body was hard.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?", the guy laughed, and a wave of beer-breath hit Dan in the face and almost made him choke. "For your mama's bad taste? Aw. Don't be."

He tried to push past the guy, just get away from him and all the sudden attention they were getting, but there really was no way out. He could feel the stares boring into his back, could feel his cheeks redden and his eyes watering traitorously. You're not going to cry. Fucking wuss.

"Look, poor baby boy's crying. Really, you don't have to be sorry. Maybe your mum just knew your gay ass would need those glasses to see how much of a fucking _pussy_ you are." The guy laughed again, a dirty laugh that made his bones grow cold. "Mh? She has bad taste, but at least she's smart."

He really didn't know what he'd done to provoke this, but maybe he didn't have to do anything. Maybe his face was enough to make douchebags like that guy want to pick on him. Not like this was any kind of news.

"Hey, Craig, why don't you take a step back and leave that guy be, mh?"

That was a new voice, and Dan realized he'd been so caught up in his own misery that he hadn't noticed someone stepping slightly in front of him. Taller than himself, even, but skinny as one could be. Nonetheless, he couldn't have been more thankful for the sudden backup.

"Kyle, the fuck? I thought you we're cool", the other dude - Craig - whined dramatically, and the look on his face was one of utter mocking and disgust. "Guess you're just a sissy like we thought you were."

There was silence for a second, and Dan tried to duck behind the back of skinny guy when suddenly, said back was moving away from him, and out of the corner of his eye he could barely make out what was happening. 

It was too fast, really, but he got the general gist of it. 

With a heart-wrenching crunch, Kyle's fist landed on Craig's jaw.

There was a general moment of surprise and shock, and then it was just pure chaos. People were grabbing him, elbowing him in the ribs as they tried to get past him to help Craig, and Dan had trouble making out the white shirt that belonged to skinny guy in the mess of people.

He tried to get away, but a fist to his nose had him on the ground in a matter of seconds. 

He'd never been in a fight before.

It was like time slowed down and sped up at the same time, with all the yelling and fast movement happening around him, and he had trouble keeping his eyes open with the pain shooting through the bridge of his nose and right into his brain. He was definitely crying now, tears involuntarily glazing his eyes as the pain became almost unbearable. When he wiped his nose with the back of his hand out of sheer disbelief, all he could see was red. _Fuck._

Half crawling, half-crouching he somehow got out of the worst area, came to a halt with his back against the wall right next to the door, and if it hadn't been for a rough hand pulling him up and out of the house, he probably would've passed out right then and there.

The cold evening air hit him with force, and he stumbled down the short flight of steps, leaving behind the noise and the fading screams of people yelling sodom and ghomorra down at them. He blindly followed the person whose hand he was still holding, thankful for any kind of leverage he could get while his other hand helplessly fumbled around his nose, feeling for any broken bones but just getting a handful more blood. 

"S- _Stop_ ", he finally gasped out, tore his hand from the rock-hard grip the other had had on him, resting his hands on his knees to finally catch his breath. He could feel the red warmth dripping down his chin and onto the concrete of the empty street, landing with absolutely no sound.

"I think my nose is broken."

"Looks like it."

He recognized the voice, and through his still slightly glazed eyes, he looked up to find Kyle across from him, mirroring his pose, spitting out a clot of dark mucus that was probably, well. Blood.

For a few moments, they just stood there, heaving from their short run, and finally, Kyle just flumped down onto the street.

"Kyle?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. I - I thought you passed out." 

"Nah. Just tired."

"Thank you."

He was wringing his hands now, unsure of what to say, but thank you did sound about right. His mind was still dizzy, even though the pain in his nose was slowly, but surely subsiding to a deep thumping that made his whole face feel like he'd tried to catch a football with it.

"No worries."

It was cold enough to see your own breath condense in front of you, but he joined Kyle on the ground anyways. 

"You didn't have to stand up for me like that", Dan added after a few minutes of silence, the cold finally seeping into his sweater and making him shiver. He really thought he should get going, but he could hardly leave the other guy like this - not after what he'd done for him. 

"Yeah, I did. Craig's such a _dickhead_. Was about time someone said something."

"You got it pretty bad."

"No shit, Sherlock", Kyle huffed, combing a hand through his hair, and Dan finally took a second to actually get a look at him. 

He really did get it pretty bad, and maybe even worse than he'd expected. His knuckles were scratched, he definitely had a black eye and there was blood on his shirt, already drying into a muddy dirt-brown. His nose also looked pretty bad, but Dan's biggest worry was the lilac shade spread across his cheekbone.

"We should really call the police. Or go to the hospital at least."

"Right. And tell them a bunch of minors - us included - were getting pissed drunk and got into a fight. Because that's such a good idea and never goes wrong."

His tone was so smug and venomous that Dan shut right up again.

"Sorry."

Kyle sighed deeply, heaved himself back up and extended a bruised hand towards Dan. Without second thought, he took it and let himself be manhandled back to his feet. His head was spinning, the pain coming in waves now, always accompanied by the dull numbness that seemed to have taken over half of his face.

"No, I'm sorry. You're right. We should probably do that, in a world that's better than this one."

That was cryptic, Dan thought, but he didn't dare ask anything again. Better to shut up when you don't know shit.

"Let's go. I have a first aid kit at home. We can patch you up and you're good to go."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine. Had worse."

 

They walked in silence, Dan still wobbly on his feet, but thankfully, Kyle didn't live too far from the frat house. 

"Sit", he was ordered as soon as the mosquito screen door fell close behind him, and Kyle started rummaging around in the kitchen while Dan tried to free a spot for himself between all the clothes on the couch. The house was small, messy, with old furniture wildly puzzled together, hideous curtains with flowers on them, trinkets and decorations and bits and pieces of all walks of life scattered on every horizontal surface. It was absolutely adorable, he thought.

"Like what you see?"

Kyle had come over without him noticing, placing the first aid kit on the small table after carelessly pushing away mostly unreadable notes, crumbling under his rough handling. 

"Yeah. Your house is... cute."

"Most people say it looks like a flea market. Which is pretty accurate."

With almost proficient moves, Kyle unrolled a bandage, ripped open a package of mull and then stopped in his tracks. 

"I don't think I ever, uh, - bandaged a nose? Is that even what you do?"

Dan shrugged. "I don't know. I've never been in a fight. Or had a broken nose. Or broken anything, really."

Kyle sat back on his heels, swaying back and forth, brows knitted together.

"My parents say it's just a, quote unquote, fucking mess."

"Huh?"

"My house."

"Oh."

They remained silent for a few seconds, then it was Kyle's turn to shrug. "I don't think I can bandage it. I would have to go all around your head and that would just look fucking stupid."

"I guess."

With a frustrated sigh, Kyle threw the lint he had been kneading back onto the table. 

"Well, - at least let me get a proper look at it."

He didn't have time to object as Kyle straddled him out of the blue, pushing his upper body back into the padded seating of the couch that was making angry noises of exertion beneath their weight. His chin was cupped with a rough hand, turning his face from left to right and left to right and then back to face forward.

"Your eyes are, like, the size of the moon. .. You scared?"

Dan shook his head the slightest bit, just about as much space as he had for movement whatsoever in the jaw vice grip of Kyle's hand on his chin. He should probably be afraid. Kyle was acting fucking weird, but apparently his fight or flight reflexes weren't really up to anything tonight.

"Good. You don't need to be. Oh, right -"

And with softer hands than Dan would've ever trusted him to have, Kyle examined the bridge of his nose, slightly nudged it, and the sharp pain was still unbearable. 

"I think it's cracked. Not broken, though. Maybe just be careful. Or go to the hospital tomorrow. Your call."

"Okay", he gasped out, trying to will back the tears already dwelling in his peripheral vision again.

"Alright", Kyle said, climbing out of their awkward, intertwined position on the couch, and finally, Dan felt like he was able to breathe properly again. 

"You're staying, I guess?"

"I am?"

"Yeah. You can have the bed. I'll be on the couch."

"But -"

"No but. I really think you should go to the hospital tomorrow. I can take you."

"I can do that on my own. Grown man and everything?" He gestured up and down his body with what he hoped looked like confidence.

"Yeah, right. No way." Not confident enough, then. "Besides, you owe me. I'm still so afraid, I can't be alone right now."

That last part was definitely sarcastic, but he shrugged. "Fine."

Kyle nodded with smug self-satisfaction, as if he'd just won a nobel prize.

"I'll get you a bottle of water. Come on, house tour, while we're at it. And since you seem to like messy depression caves so much, I'm sure you'll absolutely love this one." 

Again, with the hands - Kyle just never seemed to care if he was being too forward, grabbing hands and invading spaces left and right, and as much as it confused him, Dan just couldn't find it in him to mind. So with a huff, he let himself be pulled up once again, only this time, Kyle actually let go of him right after.

"So, kitchen. Uh, not much here. Microwave, oven, you know. A kitchen. Right."

Dan hadn't thought he had it in him, but Kyle seemed nervous all of a sudden. He briefly wondered why, but figured it wasn't really his place to ask. Just because Kyle was nice enough - or inquisitive enough? - to let him stay over didn't mean he owed him anything further than that, as far as he was concerned. 

"Alright. Are you ready for the one and only room? Where all the magic happens?" And then he actually made finger guns at him, and Dan just couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"You're _ridiculous_."

"And you're an ungrateful little _shit_ ", Kyle immediately shot back, and for a few seconds they just stared at each other before breaking out into laughter. 

It was like all the stress and exertion and adrenaline left his body all at once, that's how freeing their laughter felt. Or maybe that was just him, he couldn't really tell. Either way, when they finally got themselves together again, he felt like he had been reborn - yet absolutely, all-embracingly tired, _god_ , he was so tired.

"Okay. Bedroom."

Although the rest of his home would suggest otherwise, the bedroom was actually quite tidy. The bed wasn't too big, but it was overflowing with the weirdest pillows - cat faces, flowers, aliens, rainbows - and that were just the ones lying right at the front. 

"Wow. You have a very, uh, .. distinctive taste."

"No, I have friends who all think they're the funniest people in the world. Those things are their fault."

"Sounds like great friends."

"They are."

It almost felt like invading a sacred space when he stepped forward and into the room, like he really wasn't supposed to be here. 

"Are you really sure I can have the bed? Because it's no trouble if I sleep on the couch."

"Nah, you can have it."

"There's enough room for two."

He wasn't sure who decided to say that, because it certainly wasn't the Dan he thought himself to be.

"I guess, yeah..." Kyle shrugged, eyebrows raised with curiosity, and maybe a hint of insecurity about what exactly that offer was supposed to mean.

"You do look hot with your fucked up face, so how could I say no to sleeping with you, mh?"

With the blink of an eye, the insecurity was gone again, and Dan wasn't sure if it had ever been there in the first place.

"Unbelievable", he muttered under his breath, and with a quick jolt of confidence he turned on his heels, deliberately shoved Kyle out of the door and gave him a sneaky wink before closing the door in his face. "Goodnight!", he called through the door, and all he got as a reply was a barked laugh.

 

It was like waking up in heaven, if heaven was crowded with weird pillows and an entirely ridiculous amount of blankets. Despite (or because of) said circumstances, Kyle's bed was incredibly comfortable, and Dan couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten a good nights' sleep like this. 

He could hear the distinctive clatter of someone making breakfast from the other side of the door, but decided to stay in bed for now. He wasn't ready for reality just yet, not ready for awkward morning conversations and small talk across the tiny kitchen table he'd seen the night before.

The room was just as cluttered as the living room - hundreds of framed paintings were lining the walls, all of them looking like random flea market finds. He remembered Kyle talking about that - the whole flea market thing - and decided that asking about it was a good topic for the dreaded breakfast, to avoid awkward silence. 

With a sigh, Dan threw back the blankets, and had just about enough time to pull them back on again as Kyle barged into the room without knocking.

"He - Hey!"

"Rise and shine, buttercup! The sun is out, the birds are chirping, all is well in Waffleville."

"Um. Okay?"

"Breakfast in bed. I decided. God, you look fucking _awful_ ", Kyle started chatting immediately, all while setting down a huge plate with, well, waffles, on the bedside table and climbing into bed next to Dan. 

"You get to pick first. But after that, it's fair game", he continued while carefully setting the tablet down on their legs, and Dan was too overwhelmed to even ask. "We have blueberry, raspberry, honey, apples, and, uh, just plain butter. In case you're a man of _simple_ tastes."

It seemed like Kyle really did have absolutely no concept of personal space, and again, Dan couldn't really say he didn't like it. It was refreshing, at least, knowing that someone so unconditionally comfortable with himself existed. Sometimes, those people seemed like fairytale inventions. Apparently, they weren't.

"So? Pick one. And let me be upfront - this is one of the most important decisions of the day. Not to be putting you under any pressure or anything, but I might have to kick you out of bed if you choose wrong."

"Great. I love working with no pressure whatsoever", Dan muttered and carefully picked up the blueberry one, followed by a relieved sigh from Kyle. 

"On one hand, I'm very bummed you picked that one, because it's my fave, but also - good choice. You make a lot of good choices."

"That frat party last night really wasn't a good choice though. Do I actually look that horrible?"

"You look like a badass, first of all. But yeah. Kinda blue and purple around the nose and the eyes. We can fix that with good make up - not to worry."

"I don't usually wear make up."

"And you usually don't get into fights. You don't usually go home with strangers. And you don't usually have breakfast in bed with them. The thing is, things you usually do are _pretty fucking boring_."

Kyle had a point. 

"Just eat your damn blueberry waffle before I steal it from your cold, dead hands, stranger."

"Dan."

"Oh, he has a name!", Kyle called out with glee, and then he set down his own waffle carefully and extended a hand at an awkward angle, trying to twist his body so he could comfortably look at Dan. "I'm Kyle. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hi, Kyle", Dan said, and he couldn't help the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. 

Eating was actually quite painful with his whole face bruised and wounded like this, and he had trouble with breathing while chewing thanks to his nose being all clogged up with dry blood. He really did need to go to the hospital, and looking at Kyle, he didn't seem to do much better, despite his bright facade. He could hear the little whimpers when he had to bend his arm to reach for the water still on the bedside table, could feel the tiniest jumps when he accidentally brushed against his elbow.

"Time for the hospital, I think", he finally said after finishing up the plain butter waffle ("I'm not eating that. It's a disgrace. You have it") and Kyle agreed without hesitation. 

"But! Shower first", Kyle suggested, "because I don't think anyone would want to treat us smelling like this."

"I can't smell anything."

"That's because you're smelly too, dumbass. And your nose is fucked up."

Again, Kyle had a point.

"You go first, so I can clean up here."

And again, Kyle didn't leave him a choice, but instead started to make his way towards the kitchen, leaving Dan to find the bathroom by himself - which, admittedly, wasn't too hard in the small space of the house.

The bathroom was the only place in the house that actually looked like it had been modernized - black tiles and an anthracite floor - and while the hot water was running down his body, finally washing away all the grime from last night's mess, Dan had time to think about what the actual hell he was doing. 

Staying at a stranger's house, _having breakfast with him in bed_... It all felt like it was straight out of a sketchy one dollar romance novel his mum used to read. But, god, this whole thing could've ended so much worse. What the fuck had he been thinking? It was done now, anyways, so it wasn't of any use to think about now, but he couldn't help the irritated shake of his head as the realization of how dangerous this all could have been was sinking in.

He was one hell of a lucky guy, after all.

"Knock knock", Kyle's voice came muffled through the door, and Dan almost fell in the shower.

"How long will you be? I'm all done out here and my elbow is really starting to hurt."

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute", he called over the noise of the water, quickly shutting down the shower and grabbing whatever towel he found in reach. 

It felt disgusting, having to put on his old clothes after feeling so clean, and he shivered when the smell Kyle had talked about hit his nose.

"Uh.."

"Mh?" 

Kyle was still outside. 

Dan decided to just ask.

"Can I borrow something to wear?"

"Sure."

A minute later, Kyle was knocking again.

With the towel wrapped around his hips, he unlocked the door, and whatever he had expected - it wasn't Kyle in his boxers.

"Sorry. Like you said, we smell. _Smelled_. Bad."

Dan reached to take the clothes Kyle was offering and couldn't help but notice the gaze - not predatory, not creepy, just honest and genuine attraction (admiration?), but it still made him want to shrink to nothingness. 

"No, don't - I'm sorry, I shouldn't have stared, I - just. Don't hide. You're beautiful."

Really, _really_ not what he had expected.

"Thank you?", he squeaked out, hated the way his voice jumped up a couple of octaves. No-one had ever said he was beautiful. 'Quite handsome from the right angle', 'not too bad', maybe, but beautiful? Definitely not. Not him. Not with his lanky body, grown too tall too fast to be athletic or attractive or muscular or anything in particular, really. Not with a face that seemed just a tad bit too long, a chin a tad bit too broad, and a nose a tad bit too big. 

"Beautiful. You hear me?", and with that, Kyle closed the door again, and Dan was on his own with a pile of non-descriptive clothing in his arms that would probably look weird on him.

A few minutes later he snuck out of the bathroom, dressed in a weird dark blue tank with the arm holes cut low, a skinny jeans that actually fit quite well and socks with - well - cats. Of course.

"You done?", Kyle asked, obviously rethorical, and there it was again, that look, as he was leaning against the hallway wall, a hallway small enough for him to block it completely.

"Yeah, I'm done."

"Okay."

He knew it would happen as he pushed past him, knew it the second their hips brushed and Kyle's hand found his, pinned it against the wall, and the moan that escaped him as Kyle's lips left the smallest of kisses on his own was only half pain from his nose. 

"Don't -", he gasped out, eyes wild, trying to find a last spark of doubt in his mind. There was none.

"Don't what?" Kyle's voice was raspy, as if he'd smoked too much or had too much whiskey, and it was the single hottest thing Dan had ever heard.

"Don't stop", he said, breathless already from nothing but the sheer anticipation of more, more of this, just anything Kyle would be willing to give - he'd take it.

"Didn't plan to. Unless you wanted me to, of course. Then I'd stop, obviously. But -"

"Shut up", Dan said, and he found that getting someone to stop talking was far easier if you just kissed them. 

It was hard to hold back when Kyle was whimpering into his mouth like that, when his hands were desperately tugging on the button of his jeans with shaky hands, but he knew it was no use. He could feel his fingertips brushing scab on Kyle's knuckles as he cupped his hand over his, could feel the hardly hidden involuntary jerks when his lips traced along his cheekbones and accidentally hit a spot that was still far too sensitive from however many punches he'd had to endure.

"Stop", he finally whispered, muttered under his breath as their foreheads were leaned against each other, and he deliberately placed a hand on the wall over Kyle's shoulder to support his weight against Kyle's body. 

"Don't wanna."

"I know. But you're hurting."

"I can take it."

"I don't want you to have to push through it. I want you to - to enjoy this. And you can't. Not like this."

"Fine."

"Let's go. Shower."

"Yes, Sir", Kyle said, and the old smirk was back, the confidence in his voice, the smugness. 

"And if you're a good boy at the hospital, we can make out some more later." Dan didn't really know where that was coming from, but he enjoyed the teasing.

"Deal."

"Deal."

 

They called an uber after agreeing that neither of them really felt like driving, and the silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. It was heavy with meaning, possibly, or maybe that was just Dan's overthinking self. It was weird, not knowing what exactly they were stumbling into right now, but then - as if he could actually read his mind - Kyle took his hand, squeezed it once, a small smile playing on his lips, and Dan could almost feel the tension leave his body. They would be alright.

The drive to the hospital didn't take too long, and the driver waved them off with a shake of his head and a pitiful gaze onto their bruised faces when Kyle tried to pay and was three dollars short, even after Dan had chimed in, too. 

Dan hated hospitals, but it wasn't half bad with someone to hold your hand through it. They had to wait almost two hours, but neither of them really minded. Waiting was good - waiting meant there was no actual danger for them. An old lady made a fuss at the desk, and Kyle, being the way he was, stepped in (Dan started to think that was just what he did - a guardian angel with a weird obsession over cats and strange pillows).

He still felt oddly naked in the low cut tank, and they hadn't brought jackets - a grave mistake in Dan's opinion, but he kept to himself. His nose had started throbbing again, and as he carefully reached for it, there was blood. He tried to hide it, but Kyle noticed anyway.

"Hey. You're bleeding again."

"It's nothing. I touched it. .. Maybe it is broken after all."

"Or you're bleeding out. Don't die in my arms, fucker."

"Pet names, mh?"

"Pet _insults_ , my dear."

The old lady gave them an irritated look, and Kyle smiled at her sweetly. 

"You know you're gonna burn in hell, right, darling?"

"Excuse me?" Kyle's hand in his became a jaw vise once more, and Dan could almost feel his bones cracking.

"It's a sin. You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. Leviticus."

It was like a fist to his face once more, or a punch to his guts, either way, he could feel all the blood draining from his face as he struggled to wrap his mind around what was happening.

"Just know that I will be praying for you."

" _No thank you_ ", Kyle muttered and his grip on Dan's hand got even harder, unforgiving, as if it took his whole strength to not start screaming.

"Ignore her", Dan whispered into the curve of Kyle's neck, trying hard to maintain his composure. Then, louder, "she's just a bigoted, homophobic asshat who doesn't know shit. Must be sad."

The old lady shook her head with disgust and finally got up to change seats, but not without complaining loudly and exaggeratedly at the front desk. The nurse had a fake smile plastered across her face, listening with hardly contained anger, and then simply asked the woman to leave.

"I'm really sorry you had to listen to that. We don't allow stuff like that to happen usually. I should've intervened earlier, but it all happened so fast..." She trailed off, wringing her hands, and there was that pitiful look again, the same as their driver, as if their mere existence was a shame, such a shame, poor kids.

"Yeah, alright." Kyle's voice was hollow, and Dan decided this hospital wasn't the one they needed. It really, really wasn't.

The second drive was quiet again, but it was a poisonous silence, one that said more than words. Kyle was furious, and Dan's nose was bleeding again, and he couldn't quite stitch together the pieces of when this day had become so dreadful.

"We should've stayed in bed", Kyle finally hissed through gritted teeth, and Dan almost agreed - except he wasn't ready to give up yet.

"It won't always be like this. People are... mean. And angry. And hateful. But there's also the ones who are kind and accepting and loving, and that's - that's who we have to focus on, okay?"

Kyle didn't answer, but he let his head fall on Dan's shoulder carefully, one hand fisted in his tank, and maybe he imagined it because he wanted it to be true so bad, but it felt like he was relaxing a little bit.

Thankfully, they got lucky with the other hospital. It was smaller, the Mary's Grace, and even though the name made Kyle knit his eyebrows together with suspicion, the nurses were friendly and they didn't even have to wait long. 

While Dan was getting x-rayed, Kyle had bought coffee at the vending machine down the hall, claiming that it wasn't a 'real hospital experience' without bad, absolutely tasteless dirt water, so Dan obeyed and chugged down whatever the hell was in his cup (it certainly wasn't coffee).

Kyle was inside the exam room a lot longer than Dan had been, and after an hour, he was starting to get worried. Of course, the nurse at the front desk didn't tell him anything since he wasn't family, so he eventually resumed pacing up and down the endless corridor, waiting for any sign from his - boyfriend? Friend? Acquaintance? - until finally, Kyle stuck his head out of one of the doors, waving him over.

"I'm alright, hey - I'm alright", he laughed as Dan hugged him way too tightly for his own good. "My elbow is a bit fucked up, so is my nose and, uh, my cheekbone is broken, but, I'm alright." He hesitated, then pressed a quick kiss to Dan's lips. "Tell me when your results are in. I'll be getting a cast, I think, so I might still be a while."

It turned out that a not very severely sprained elbow did not require a cast, despite the owner of said sprained elbow insisting otherwise. Instead he got a sling, and Kyle almost looked disappointed. "This isn't half as cool as I thought it would be."

"It's not supposed to be cool."

"I saved a damsel in distress, I think I deserve to look a little cooler than this."

"We can always tie a skull bandana to it or something. But I think you look pretty fucking ace."

"Well thank you, damsel, but you're obliged to say that. So it doesn't count."

"Hey, um, Stephanie?" The nurse looked up with surprise upon hearing her name. "Do you think Kyle looks cool with this sling?"

" _Very_ cool, yes", she laughed, and Dan didn't think he'd seen Kyle blush this hard before. 

"See? Super cool."

"Alright, fine. I believe you."

After a few more minutes of waiting, Dan finally got called in for his results. A broken nose, as initially expected, but nothing else to worry about.

"I'd say that was, alltogether, a successful day", Kyle resumed on their drive back home, and Dan agreed. Even though the reactions at the first hospital still lingered at the back of his mind, he was glad they had decided to go, if only for Kyle to get his sling and to make sure everything was alright.

"Can't wait to be home, though", he added, "and not see anyone's face except yours until Monday. If that's...?"

Dan nodded, and with second thought, corrected him. "And the pizza delivery guy's face."

"Excellent idea."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm doing a 30 day challenge that I found to get back into writing. So, short and sweet, and hopefully every day, there will be a new little something.


End file.
